Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Electronic in-ear protection advice


darkvibe

Recommended Posts

I’m ready to start looking into some electronic in-ear protection. I want them mainly for USPSA matches but will also wear them waterfowl hunting. I currently have hear-pro non-electronic custom molded plugs and I like them. I have the lab cured silicone ones.

Where should I be going for electronic in-ears? Westone, Fluxx audio, somewhere else?

Seems that I want something that has wind noise reduction if I’m wearing them hunting. Westone is at about $1800 for their hunter model with wind reduction. Fluxx is just over $1000 for a digital pair with wind reduction. That’s a big difference in price for something that on paper seems pretty much the same.

Anyone have advice? Tough choosing something you can't touch and try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Hear-Pro already has your ear impressions, why not go Hear-Pro AMP-37's? They just came out with a new model which has a volume dial in addition to the push button level selector.

All you need to do is contact Brad at Hear-Pro and ask him to make you a pair with your existing impressions on file.

Edited to add: I shoot open in USPSA and also 3 gun on occasion. I really like my Hear-Pro AMP 37's.

Edited by Mark R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a very similar post a few weeks ago:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=210520&hl=%2Bprotection#entry2369464

To add to it, my daughter and I were at Area 6 last weekend and PremEar was there (great couple!). They made her some custom fitted ear plugs that are rated at 30 NRR with the stopper/plug plugged in and 20 NRR with the stopper/plug out. She loved them over the EP7 pair that I had for her. She could hear to take score (with the stopper/plug out) but it was uncomfortable with Open shooters. Once she plugged them up, she couldn't hear anything but the Open guns still bothered her a little but that is with all types of hearing protection (mostly the concussive waves).

They had another set that had an NRR of 37 and was made of a very flexible material but had to be sent off to a lab and took 3 weeks. They were about $130. They stated that voices would penetrate the material but louder sounds would not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Hear-Pro already has your ear impressions, why not go Hear-Pro AMP-37's? They just came out with a new model which has a volume dial in addition to the push button level selector.

All you need to do is contact Brad at Hear-Pro and ask him to make you a pair with your existing impressions on file.

Edited to add: I shoot open in USPSA and also 3 gun on occasion. I really like my Hear-Pro AMP 37's.

Hear-pro doesn't have my impressions. I asked and was told they were destroyed in the molding process. He offered to do new impressions but I wasn't ready to buy yet at that time.

The Fluxx audio Activeguard description on their website is word-for-word identical to the Hear-pro site's description of their AMP37. I am guessing that either hear-pro resells the Fluxx products or they both use products from the same place. Fluxx is ~$225 cheaper than hear-pro for what looks like an identical product.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mark…….you’re spot on with everything you’ve said.

Hear-Pro’s prices are slightly higher on the website because we do not charge for anything else, and even reimburse customers if they have to pay someone to have the impressions made.

Additionally, we provide a 15% discount to anyone show proof of membership in a firearms related organization.

There are several companies out there who provide custom hearing protection, and several of us use the same labs for our high end products.

I will never claim that Hear-Pro is a better company, has the best products, or provides the best service……because all of that is really determined by our customers.

What I will claim, is that Hear-Pro is more active and provides far more support for the competitive shooting community than any of these other companies. Just ask yourself…….how many of the other custom plug companies do the following;

- Donate over $65,000 in prizes each year to prize tables

- Has a dedicated shooting team with NINE active shooters

- Sponsors another 14 shooters as an affiliate sponsor

- Sponsors two collegiate teams

- Donates prizes specifically for female and junior shooters

- Donates prizes and runs events to benefit organizations like Task Force Dagger

- Has an owner that actually shoots matches alongside everyone else…….and doesn’t just swoop in to a match to sell something to the captured audience

- Strives to make sure every single customer is satisfied, to the point of providing full refunds……sometimes MONTHS after the purchase of a custom made product where costs cannot be recouped

I’ve got a ton of these in my back pocket. I’m not trying to make it sound like we are a bowl of grits or anything………it’s just something I’m passionate about. I purchase products from companies like AP Customs, Black Bullets, Akai Customs, DSG Arms, JP, Nordic, Benelli, Shooters Source, Stage Zero, Xtreme Bullets, JABs Steel Targets………and so on, because they support our sport………and not just by donating $100 worth of products every now and then……but REALLY support our sport.

OK…..rant over.

Anyway……hope everyone has a great day. J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will vouch for what Brad said also...they do support our sport. I was the recipient of one of the prize table winnings from them and they were great about it. If you going fully electronic in-ear, I would go with Hear-Pro. If you going with in-ear non-electronic, I would look at the other company I recommended.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

+1 for AMP37 plugs. I've been a Hear-Pro customer for a couple years now. I started out with their custom-molded non-electronic plugs that I bought while Brad was at the 2013 Fallen Brethren 3-gun match. Great plugs, and I highly recommend them also. Now that I've graduated to the AMP37, they still get used, but only at work in the stupid-loud computer datacenter I sometimes work in.

Hear-Pro customer service is second-to-none. Brad recently went way beyond the extra mile for me when I had an issue with one of my AMP37 plugs. Not only was the problem resolved to my complete satisfaction, it was done EXTREMELY quickly and professionally. That alone gives them my vote for any future hearing protection product purchases.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a clarification, only Hear-Pro distributors (not Hear-Pro actual......me) do instant plugs now. I am focused on the PRO37 and AMP37 products exclusively. I still offer the option for distributors to do instant, but I don't do it myself.

I would also encourage someone to go with another company for non-electronic hearing protection......especially since many of them purchase their lab made products through Hear-Pro......but do not advertise that. (hint**** 'PRO37 and AMP37 refer to the NRR rating of the material)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh.......and the physical molds may have been destroyed, but we started 3D scanning molds last year, so we may have the molds in a digital file.

You molded me at the Rockcastle pro-am in 2012 I think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I own (and like) Peltor 6s electronic muffs. Are the AMP37 in-ear a similar experience as far as hearing things and cutting out when there is a loud noise?

Yes, except you don't have the bulky muff to interfere with long guns. Great for shotgun and rifle shooting. Like I said earlier, I shoot a 38 SC open gun (very loud) and I only use the AMP-37's for hearing protection, yet I can hear everyone's conversations with ease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...